The Holland boss has made no secret of his interest in the job and wants a chance to manage in the Premier League following this summer's World Cup.

He has been courted by Tottenham but is understood to prefer the Old Trafford post.

And according to reports in Holland, he met with United chiefs TEN days ago to discuss the role.

Moyes was shown the door this morning after a horror 10 months in charge. Ryan Giggs has subsequently been named as caretaker boss.

United owners the Glazer family decided to cut their losses and call time on Moyes' disastrous reign in a 33-word statement.

It read: "Manchester United has announced that David Moyes has left the Club.

"The Club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role."

CARETAKER: Ryan Giggs is in temporary charge of United [PA]

GONER: David Moyes had a disastrous 10 months in charge [GETTY]

Moyes learnt his fate after holding training-ground talks with vice-chairman Ed Woodward at 8am this morning. The news was made public half an hour later

United then released another statement confirming club legend Giggs as the man to take over.

It read: "Following the departure of David Moyes as manager, Manchester United has announced that Ryan Giggs, the club’s most decorated player, will assume responsibility for the first team until a permanent appointment can be made.

"The club will make no further comment on this process until it is concluded."

But it is van Gaal who is being lined up as the permanent replacement.

Other contenders include Laurent Blanc and Diego Simeone as United face the ultimate humiliation of having to admit they made a huge mistake in giving Moyes the job in the first place.

Borussia Dortmund chief Jurgen Klopp has appeared to rule himself out of the running.

United's American billionaire owners have been left shocked by the rapid decline of the team this season.

DRIVING FORCE: Wayne Rooney arrives at the United training ground this morning [PA]

Moyes won 27, drew nine and lost 15 of his 51 games in charge.

The Scot was dogged by claims he was not up to the job ever since he took over last July.

Moyes had enjoyed 11 critically-acclaimed years at Everton, leading the club to five top-six finishes. The Toffees qualified for the Champions League for the first time under Moyes' stewardship - although they lost in the qualifying stages of the competition - and he also took the Merseyside club to the FA Cup final in 2009.

But all those achievements were small fry compared to what his predecessor achieved.

The enormity of the task in hand seemed to overwhelm Moyes from day one.

Moyes upset some within the club by bringing in his own coaching staff, while the likes of Rene Meulensteen, Eric Steele, and Mike Phelan departed.

VAN THE MAN: Louis van Gaal is the bookies' favourite for the job [GETTY]

Moyes also botched his first transfer window as United boss. The Scot pursued Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas when the Spaniard had no intention of leaving the SpaniSh giants.

Thiago Alcantara joined Bayern Munich ahead of United, while the club made a real hash of their attempts to sign Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines on the cheap.

United's bid of £28m for the pair was branded "derisory and insulting" by Everton.

Baines stayed and United ended up buying Fellaini for £27.5million when they could have bought him for £4m less had they acted quicker.

Moyes rarely looked comfortable in front of the cameras, and for that reason many felt Jose Mourinho, who left Real Madrid to rejoin Chelsea last summer, would have been a better option.